We agreed to set sail, so you'd become the ruler of the deep sea?

Chapter 21 Recruiting New Crew Members

After seeing Joey off, Shane didn't forget the important matter.

He first took the money to the Duke's mansion to pay off the debt.

The moment when the contract was torn up in front of the old butler.

Xia En felt refreshed and relaxed, as if a huge weight had been lifted from his heart.

Like many traditional Chinese people, Xia En actually hates owing others things, and if he doesn't have a certain amount of savings, he will fall into inexplicable anxiety.

Having paid off the original owner's debts, he felt as if he had broken free of shackles.

"Next, there are two more things to do."

Xia En stroked his chin thoughtfully.

"Firstly, we need to find a reliable shipwright to install the steam engine and main guns on the Black Swan."

"Secondly, we need to recruit a few sailors."

"To resolve these two issues at once, it seems I'll have to go to that place..."

Before long, Shane arrived at the entrance of the largest tavern on Duke Island – the Storm Tavern.

As soon as you open the door, you're greeted by a strong smell of rum, along with the pungent odor of cheap perfume, body odor, and a noisy, bustling atmosphere.

This flavor is potent!

Soon, a woman with most of her breasts exposed came up to them and asked with a smile.

"Young man, are you here to have some fun?"

As everyone knows, besides drinking, pubs also offer other fun activities.

【Wind and Waves Tavern】: You may not see the wind, but the waves are definitely wild enough.

However, Xia En had important matters to attend to.

He glanced regretfully at the gleaming white "evil" and said, "Help me call Boss Bisi and tell her that the captain of the Black Swan is looking for her."

"Black Swan?"

The young woman glanced at Shane in surprise, but asked nothing and turned to leave.

A moment later, the woman returned with a strange expression.

"Come with me, the boss is waiting for you at the bar."

Shane followed her to the vicinity of the bar, where they were greeted by a wealthy and generous lady.

This woman was voluptuous and tall, dressed boldly and provocatively. Underneath her short skirt, which barely covered her upper thighs, were sexy fishnet stockings, and her long, bright pink hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall.

The previous woman was already quite remarkable, but compared to this woman, she was nothing more than a small fry compared to a big fish.

She is the owner of the Storm Tavern, known as "Scarlet Rose" Bess!

Xia En approached her because, in her memories, she seemed to have had an affair with the original owner's father.
Now it seems... this cheap old man is quite lucky with women!

"Are you Shane?"

Bisi looked Xia En up and down, her red lips parted slightly: "He's quite handsome, with a bit of your father's style."

"I've heard about what happened to you. Tell me, what do you want from me?"

As the tavern owner, Biss's intelligence network was naturally not to be underestimated, so she simply went straight to the point.

Xia En liked straightforward people like that, and said directly.

"I need reliable shipwrights and sailors. Ms. Biss, could you please recommend a few suitable candidates? The commission is negotiable."

The tavern owner was essentially a middleman, so asking Biss for a recommendation was more reliable than searching blindly like a headless fly.

After listening, Bisi thought for a moment and said, "Shipwrights are easy to find. As long as the money is right, I can find one for you right away."

"But a reliable sailor... that depends on your specific requirements."

Xia En already had a plan in mind, and said, "First of all, you must be loyal enough to not betray me while you are on my ship."

"Secondly, he must be physically strong and capable of performing the work of a salvage operator."

"It would be even better if they didn't talk much and didn't have any bad habits."

Biss gave a strange look: "Loyalty? That's not a simple requirement."

It's important to understand that sailors' moral standards weren't actually much higher than those of pirates.

Every single one of them was a traitor who would follow whoever offered the money and would board the ship at the drop of a hat. Only the private army kept by Duke Nova had a slight sense of belonging.

Xia En knew that his request was somewhat unreasonable, so he added, "If the first point is met, the other conditions can be flexibly adjusted."

“Let me think…” Bisi touched her chin with her beautiful fingers, pondering for a long time.

Just when Xia En thought it was hopeless, Bi Si spoke up: "There is indeed a suitable candidate, but his situation is a bit special, so we need to let him meet with you first."

Xia En's eyes lit up immediately: "Please introduce me, Ms. Biss."

Bisi glanced meaningfully at Xia En, then placed her slender hand seemingly unintentionally on the back of his hand.

"Still calling me lady?"

"Then... Sister Bisi?"

Xia En pretended not to understand her subtext and said blankly.

With a chuckle, Bisi couldn't help but smile: "You little rascal, you're much smarter than your father."

"Sister it is. You sit here for a while and I'll go find the person for you."

After she left, Xia En touched the back of his hand and sighed inwardly.

"Indeed, this world is too dangerous."

"Good-looking boys need to take extra care of themselves when they go out."

……

……

It didn't take long.

Bis led the two back to the bar.

One of them was a bald, middle-aged man. Judging from his sparse hair, he was probably a skilled worker.

They were clearly shipwrights who repaired the ship's cabin.

The other person's appearance was extremely peculiar.

The man was wearing a full suit of steel armor and a one-piece helmet, completely armed from head to toe.

The joints of the armor are intricately crafted, the metal is solid and heavy, and there seem to be some strange magical patterns on it.

At first glance, it is not ordinary.

Wearing the armor, he was a full two meters tall, so tall that even Xia En, who was 1.8 meters tall, had to look up at him.

The noisy tavern fell silent upon the appearance of the armored man, demonstrating his immense presence and intimidating aura.

Upon reaching him, the armored man remained silent, staring intently at Xia En.

"Uh...hello?"

Xia En tentatively greeted him, "May I ask your name?"

The armored man remained silent.

Shaun felt a little uneasy under his gaze and was about to turn to Bis for help when he saw the armored man pull out a piece of cardboard and a charcoal pencil from his waist.

With two quick swipes, the armored man wrote a line of smooth and beautiful handwriting on the cardboard and displayed it in front of Shane.

Are you my captain?

Shane: "..."

Say something!
and many more?

Xia En suddenly realized something, and at the same time heard Bi Si's explanation.

"His name is An, and as you can see, he is mute and certainly doesn't talk much."

"It is said that his ancestors were a declining knightly family, adhering to the chivalry of the previous era. If he has chosen you as his captain, his loyalty will certainly not be a problem."

Upon careful consideration, Xia En realized that this was indeed the case.

Aside from its unique design, Ann seems to have met most of his requirements.

"However, there's a condition..."

Bisi grinned, clearly enjoying the spectacle, and added, "That means you have to pass An's test."

【Yes. 】

An continued writing on the paper, his handwriting becoming more vigorous and powerful.

If you wish to become my captain, then challenge me to a duel!

After writing this line, Ann drew her longsword from her waist and made an ancient and solemn gesture of respect to Xia En.

An has challenged you to a duel!
(End of this chapter)